Drill



May 14, 1940. E. w. EVERHEART arm. 2,200,444

DRIL

Filed July 6, 1938 1 i I I Fig 3 5 l lv zezwtofs" Patented May 14, 1940 DRILL Eugene W. Ever-heart and Vito A. Brussclo, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico Application July 6, 1938, Serial No. 217,760 In Mexico July 14, 1937 10 Claims.

The present invention relates to pneumatic rock drills, and more, particularly to improve ments in that type of drill wherein water is supplied to the drill point to remove the small particles of rock produced in drilling and toallay the dust caused thereby.

In the conventional wet-type pneumatic rock drill, the water is injected into the hollow drill steel by means of a water tube fixedly mounted in the drill head and passing axially through the piston and other moving and stationary partsof the machine. Diiilculty has been experienced, however, with this system due to the fact that the water tubes are subject to frequent breakage or obstruction. Removalof a tube for replacement or for cleaning requires a substantial dismantling of the drill, involving both loss of time and the risk of improperassembly, with the possibility of dirt getting into the working parts of the machine.

The conventional water tube construction is likewise responsible for the leakage of water into the drill operating mechanism, with consequent dilution of the lubricant. In addition, leakage of air through the water tube hole may also occur, causing back pressure to develop on the opposite side of the piston and thus substantially reducing the efficiency of the drill. The drilling efficiency is further impaired by reason of the fact that the effective area of the piston is re-- duced by the cross-sectional area of the water tube passing therethrough.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a novel and improved means for introducing Water or other liquid to a penumatic rock drill which will obviate the use of the conventional fixed and axially disposed water tube with its attendant disadvantages, and enable the drill to operate at maximum eiliciency Without air or Water leakage caused by the Water injecting system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connection for supplying water to a drill which substantially simplifies the construction of the drill over Water injecting systems heretofore employed, and which renders the parts readily accessible for cleaning or replacement without dismantling the machine.

With these and other objects in View, as will hereinafter appear, a feature of the present invention involves the provision in a pneumatic drill having a hollow drill steel of a water connection comprising a conduit of resilient material, one end of which is shaped to fit into a socket or seat in the anvil block or other reciprocating element of the drill having a passage adapted to communicate with the passage in the drill steel, the conduit being urged in a direction to compress the resilient material and thereby to seal the end thereof in the seat in the reciprocating element without requiring the use of shutting boxes, gaskets, or other fittings to obtain a leak-' proof connection.

Another feature of the invention consists in arranging the water connection to the anvil block or other reciprocating element so as to extend transversely to the direction of reciprocation of the said element, the resilient material of which the conduit is composed permitting deflection of the same during the operation of the drill While maintaining the connection in sealing engagement with the seat in the reciprocating element.

According to still another feature of the invention the water connection arranged to ex tend transversely through a passage in the body of the drill between a reciprocating element the-rein and a removable water inlet fitting on the outside of the drill, thus rendering the water connection readily accessible for inspection or replacement merely by removing the water inlet fitting" without dismantling the drill proper.

In the drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a pneumatic drill, showing a portion of the hollow drill steel, the anvil block, anvil block guide, and the novel arrangement for supplying water to the drill steel; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional detail of the drill casing and anvil block, taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View, on an enlarged scale, of a modified form of water connection adapted for use under relatively high water pressures; Fig. 4. is an elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the Water inlet fitting detached; and Fig.5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The drill in which the invention has been ilustrated as embodied is of conventional construction and arrangement, and is similar to the stoper-type pneumatic rock drill illustrated and described in Patent No. 2,095,672, issued October 12, 1937 to Eugene W. Everhea-rt, one of the present inventors.

The drill comprises a casing ii within the upper end of which is slidably mounted the shank portion of the hollow drill steal it provided atits end with the usual cutting bit, not illustrated. The drill rod is actuated by means of an anvil block l2 mounted for reciprocating movement within a guide It carried by and forming a portion of the casing of the drill.

Adapted to communicate with the water passage H5 in the drill steel III is an axially directed passage I8 extending through the head portion 20 of the anvil block I2. The inner end of the passage H3 communicates with the pasage 22 extending outwardly through the side of the anvil block at substantially a right angle to the passage I8.

The anvil block guide It is provided with a passage or opening 24 extending outwardly through the wall of the guide in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation of the anvil block. The outer end of this passage is closed by a water inlet fitting 26 provided with flanges 28 by which the fitting may be bolted to the guide I l. The fitting is provided with a threaded socket 30 into which the usual hose connection of the water supply may be screwed. This socket may be disposed at any convenient angle with respect to the axis of the drill, the angle of the illustrated fitting being suitable for pneumatic drills of the stoper type.

Extending through the passage 24 in the anvil guide (4 between the Water inlet fitting 26 and the passage 22 in the anvil block is the water connection or conduit constituting a feature of the invention. This connector, indicated at 32, is composed of resilient material such as rubber, and is provided with a longitudinal water passage 34. In its preferred form, the connection is formed with tapering or frusto-conical ends which are received in comically-shaped seats 36 and 38 in the anvil block and inlet fitting .respectively. The seat 38 in the inlet fitting communicates with the hose socket 30, and is somewhat larger than the seat 36 at the entrance to the passage 22 in the anvil block. As a result, the inlet end of the water connection 32 projects a short distance within the socket 30 beyond the end of the seat 38. The other end of the connection 32, on the other hand, fits only a slight distance into the seat 36, so that when .this end of the connection becomes worn, the

connection may be turned end for end to place unworn portions of the ends in the respective seats.

To insure that the ends of the water connection may be maintained in water tight engagement with the seats in the inlet fitting and in the anvil block during the reciprocation of the latter, the connection 32 is of such dimensions as to be placed under compression when the inlet fitting is drawn into place against the side of the guide I4, by its clamping bolts (not shown). Due to the resilient material of which the connection is composed, and the use of tapering ends and conical seats therefor, leakproof connections are readily obtained between the parts with only a slight degree of longitudinal compression of the conduit, so that the side thrust on the anvil block is practically negligible.

To prevent rotation of the anvil block l2 within its guide l4, and consequent shearing of the conduit 32 against the sides of the passage 24, means are provided for limiting rotation of the anvil block while permitting reciprocation of the same. To this end, the anvil block for a portion of its length is provided with diametrically opposed fiattened sides 40. Cooperating therewith is a disc or washer 42 secured to the lower end of the anvil block guide in any suitable fashion, for example by welding, as indicated at M in Fig. 1. The opening in the disc 42 is shaped as illustrated in Fig. 2 to provide the segments 46 by which rotation of the anvil block is prevented.

Under certain conditions a water pressure higher than normal may be employed. For use under such conditions a modified form of water connection is provided, which connection is illustrated in Fig. 3. This conduit 48 is similar in shape to the member 32 heretofore described. differing only in the provision of an open-coil spiral spring 50 embedded in the resilient material and surrounding the water passage 52 from one end to the other. This spring substantially reinforces the rubber or other material and prevents undue expansion of the connection under relatively high water pressure, Without interfering, however, with either the compressibility or the defiectability of the member.

In the operation of the drill, the anvil block is rapidly reciprocated by means of the usual piston, not shown, to actuate the drill steel. The Water connection is therefore subjected to repeated deflections first in one direction and then in the other within the passage in the anvil block guide. Due to the relatively light weight of the water connection and to the resilient material of which it is composed, the longitudinal compression of the member between the anvil block and the water inlet fitting maintains the ends of the connection in leakproof contact with the seats over long periods of service. Water supplied to the inlet fitting may therefor be conducted to the passage in the anvil block and thence through the hollow drill steel to the cutting edge without leakage and without the disadvantage inherent in the conventional arrangements heretofore employed.

The water connection herein illustrated and described, while particularly adapted for use in pneumatic rock drills, both of the stoper and of other types, is not necessarily so limited in its application, but may be employed for the supply of fluid to a reciprocating or oscillating element in a wide variety of devices and machines, and, except where otherwise specifically limited in the claims, such use shall be deemed to be within the spirit of the invention.

The invention is likewise not limited, with respect to its use in pneumatic drills, solely to an embodiment in which the water connection is made to the anvil block, but is deemed to include arrangements wherein the connection is made to other reciprocating elements of the drill having passages through which the water may reach the drill steel. Nor is the invention limited to the illustrated shape of water connection and the seats therefor, shapes other than frustoconical which similarly enable the seating of the connection by compression thereof being within the terms of the invention, except as limited in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a device having a fixed portion and a member adapted to be reciprocated with relation thereto, means for supplying liquid to said member during reciprocation comprising a conduit of resilient material extending between the reciprocating member and the fixed portion and under compression therebetween, the reciprocating member being provided with a seat within which an end of the conduit is received for bodily movement therewith, and the fixed portion of the device being provided with a seat for the other end of the conduit and having a passage for said conduit therethrough extending between the seats,

the passage being of a size to permit free flexing of the conduit therein during reciprocation of the member.

2. In a pneumatic drill the combination with a casing and a member adapted to be reciprocated therein, of a connection for supplying liquid to the member from without the casing comprising a conduit of resilient material extending through the casing transversely of the direction of reciprocation of the member and received at one end within a seat formed in the member for bodily movement therewith, the conduit being under longitudinal compression to retain the end thereof in said seat.

"3. In a pneumatic drill, the combination with a casing, a hollow drill steel, and actuating devices therefor including a reciprocating anvil block having a passage therein adapted to communicate with the hollow drill and an anvil block guide having a passage therethrough, of means for supplying water to the passage in the anvil block and thence to the drill steel comprising a water inlet connection and a conduit of resilient material extending through the passage in the anvil block guide, the resilient conduit being of a size relative to the passage to permit free flexing of the conduit therein during reciprocation of the anvil block, and having a conical end fitting within and held by a conical seat formed in the outer end of the passage in the anvil block, the other end of the resilient conduit being fixed to the water inlet connection.

4. In a pneumatic drill having a casing, a hollow drill steel and actuating devices therefor including a reciprocating anvil block having 'a passage adapted to communicate with the hollow drill steel. and an anvil block guide having a passage therethrough transversely of the direction of reciprocation of the anvil block, a connection for supplying liquid to the passage in the anvil block comprising a deflectable conduit member having one end secured to the anvil block against displacement relative to said block during reciprocation thereof and communicating with the passage therein, said member extending through the passage in the anvil block guide in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation of said anvil block and free of said passage.

5. A pneumatic drill having, in combination, a casing, a hollow drill steel, a reciprocating anvil block having a passage adapted to communicate with the hollow drill steel, a water inlet on the casing, and a water connection between the inlet and the passage in the anvil block comprising a conduit of resilient material having end portions fitting within seats in the anvil block and Water inlet, the conduit being under compression between and supported solelyby said seats.

6. A pneumatic drill having, in combination, a'

casing, a hollow drill steel, and actuating devices therefor including an anvil block having a passage adapted to communicate with the hollow drill steel, a water inlet on the casing, and a water connection between said inlet and the passage in the anvil block comprising a conduit of resilient materialhaving ends of frusto-conical shape fitting Within comically-shaped seats in the water inlet and in the anvil block at one end of the passage therein.

7. A deflectable conduit for supplying fluid to a reciprocating member, composed of resilient material having a passage therethrough and provided with tapering seat-engaging ends.

8, A water connection for pneumatic. drills, composed of resilient material having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough, the diameter of the member decreasing from the longi tudinal middle thereof to the ends, and reenforcing means embedded in the resilient material surrounding the passage.

9. An anvil block for use in pneumatic rock drills employing a hollow drill steel through which water is conducted to the drill point, having a passage therethrough adapted to communicate at one end with the hollow drill steel, and communicating at the other end with a conical seat formed in the block to receive and hold for bodily movement therewith the end of a water connection of resilient material extending transversely to the direction of reciprocation of the anvil block.

10. A pneumatic drill having a casing, a hollow drill steel, a reciprocating anvil block having a passage therethrough .adapted to communicate with the hollow drill steel, a water inlet fitting on the casing, and a water connection between said inlet and the passage in the anvil block comprising a conduit of resilient material having end portions of frusto-conical shape, received within seats of complementary shape formed in the Water inlet fitting and in the anvil block at one end of the passage therein, the seat in the water inlet fitting being of larger diameter than the seat in the anvil block to engage the connection for a portion of its length spaced from an end thereof, while the seat in the anvil block is of a size to engage the connection adjacent the other end thereof, whereby when the connection is engagement with said seats.

EUGENE W. EVERHEART. VITO A. BRUSSOLO. 

